Government
**Here We Have Idaho**

“Welcome to Hear We Have Idaho a local show focusing on celebrating Idaho and all that makes Idaho great. Here We Have Idaho will focus on the issues and events that impact Idaho’s citizens and families. Each week we will visit those that are writing Idaho’s story and keeping the spirit of our state song alive:
“There’s truly one state in this great land of ours, Where ideals can be realized. The pioneers made it so for you and me, A legacy we’ll always prize.” Here are your hosts Victor Miller and Tom Luna.”

Latest Episodes:

Meridian Mayor Robert Simison Aug 22, 2025

Show notes

Mayor Robert Simison

Born and raised in Pocatello, Idaho, Mayor Robert Simison graduated from Whitman College with a degree in history and has spent his life focused on advancing policy priorities at the local and national level. Mayor Simison’s service to Meridian began in 2007 after he worked at the Nation’s Capital, and he has been a champion for common sense policy solutions to address community challenges.

Elected Mayor of Meridian in 2019, Mayor Simison focuses on meeting the needs of residents by delivering premier services to the public and improving the transportation network, while ensuring that Meridian remains a safe community built around families.

Under the leadership of Mayor Simson, road projects such as the Linder Road overpass have been advanced, as well as the building of two new fire stations and a police precinct set to open in 2023. Additionally, the Meridian Police Department has implemented a Crisis Intervention Team, added School Resource Officers dedicated to elementary schools, and expanded its focus on drug prevention efforts. Mayor Simison is also focused on enhancing services for families to live, work and play. This includes the expansion of Discovery Park, and investments at the Lakeview Golf Club and the Meridian Pool.

Mayor Simison is a lifelong Republican and active professionally in Meridian, Idaho and nationally. Along with several board roles as Mayor locally, Mayor Simison served on the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation from 2020-2023 under Presidential appointment in 2020. He has been actively engaged with the Meridian Chamber of Commerce for over 15 years and is a board member of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southwest Idaho.

Mayor Simison and his wife Jenny, along with their three children, Ethan, Natalie, and Ryan, live in south Meridian and enjoy skiing together throughout Idaho each winter.

Here We Have Idaho is a local radio show heard on KSPD 790 AM and 94.5 FM at 4pm on Wednesdays and Fridays. Here We Have Idaho is a show focusing on celebrating Idaho and all that makes Idaho great. Hear We Have Idaho will focus on the issues and events that impact Idaho’s citizens and families. Each week we will visit those that are writing Idaho’s story and keeping the spirit of our state song alive with hosts Victor Miller and Tom Luna.

https://www.790kspd.com/here-we-have-idaho/

Idaho Senator Mike Crapo Aug 20, 2025

Show notes

As a lifelong Idahoan, Mike Crapo has learned that a willingness to listen makes for a more effective leader and lawmaker. Mike’s commonsense approach and collaborative, creative problem-solving have enabled him to achieve lasting solutions to issues of importance to Idahoans and the country. Mike ranks 9th in overall Senate seniority in the 119th Congress. In addition to building on the successful 2017 tax reform law, increasing access to quality, affordable health care and promoting the United States’ global competitiveness through free and fair trade,

Mike’s many priorities for the 119th Congress include: • Removing excessive federal regulation; • Ensuring veterans receive the care and services they deserve; • Boosting energy innovation, including our nuclear energy infrastructure; • Protecting Idahoans’ Second Amendment rights; • Supporting Idaho communities; and • Advancing locally-driven collaboration as the best means of addressing many of our environment and public lands issues. Mike’s committee assignments for the 119th Congress are as follows: • Senate Finance Committee (Chairman); • Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee; o Securities, Insurance and Investment; Financial Institutions and Consumer Protection; and Housing, Transportation and Community Development. • Senate Budget Committee; and • Joint Committee on Taxation.

https://www.790kspd.com/here-we-have-idaho/

Meet Kuna Mayor, Joe Stear Aug 15, 2025

Show notes

Joe Stear, Kuna Mayor, grew up in Kuna since 1965, graduated from Kuna High School, raised his family in the community and has been a successful Kuna business owner for the last 37 years. Since 2012, Mayor Stear formerly served as a Kuna City Council member and has been actively involved with the Community, Economic Development Committee, Downtown Revitalization and serves on the Legislative Committee for the Association of Idaho Cities and is the Kuna City representative for the Ada County Emergency Management System. He joined the Kuna Rural Fire District in 1979 and was a firefighter until 1996 at which time he became a Fire District Commissioner and served in that capacity as Chairman of the Board until he stepped down January 13, 2016. Mayor Stear is a past president of the Idaho State Fire Commissioners Association and served on their legislative committee.

Notable Positions:

Chair of the Allumbaugh House Group.
Chair elect on the COMPASS Executive Board.
2nd Vice Chair of the AIC Executive Board.
Vice Chair Valley Regional Transit (VRT).

https://www.790kspd.com/here-we-have-idaho/

Annette Tipton - Idaho Commission on Hispanic Affairs’ Aug 13, 2025

Show notes

In May, Idaho Gov. Brad Little appointed her as the Idaho Commission on Hispanic Affairs’ new executive director. She looks forward to building on the agency’s work and mentoring a new generation of young professionals.

https://www.790kspd.com/here-we-have-idaho/

Roni Gilbertson- H.R.1269 - Honoring Our Fallen Heroes Act of 2025 Aug 08, 2025

Show notes

H.R.1269 - Honoring Our Fallen Heroes Act of 2025

To amend the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to provide public safety officer benefits for exposure-related cancers, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

https://www.790kspd.com/here-we-have-idaho/

John Evans- Garden City Mayor Aug 06, 2025

Show notes

Mayor John Evans

John Evans grew up and was educated in the Midwest. A Vietnam veteran, John and his wife, Judy, were married in 1969 and have three grown children, twelve grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren. John and Judy moved their family to Idaho in 1975 and then to Garden City in 1988.

Since he arrived in Idaho, John has been primarily involved in the construction industry. Since 1985 John has been in the residential real estate development business in Ada and Canyon Counties. His current project is in Caldwell. John has not engaged in any business activity in Garden City since his election to the city council in 1995.

Before he was elected Mayor in November of 2005, John served on the Garden City Planning & Zoning Commission from 1992-1995 and served on the Garden City city council from 1996-2005. While on the City Council, John served several one-year terms as President of the City Council, Council liaison to the Garden City Police Department, and Council liaison to the Library Board, a position he held for ten years. He also performed the council oversight function for the construction of the Police Department building in 1999 and the new City Hall/Library building in 2004. John also serves on the boards of the Community Planning Association (COMPASS), Valley Regional Transit (VRT), the Idaho Counties Risk Management Program (ICRMP) Board, and serves as a Fourth Judicial District Magistrate Commission member.

John and Judy enjoy hanging out with family and traveling to the coast and other points around the northwest. When time permits, John enjoys cowboy action shooting.

You may contact Mayor Evans at jevans@gardencityidaho.org or his assistant, Susanna Smith at ssmith@gardencityidaho.org

https://www.790kspd.com/here-we-have-idaho/

Shaan Sharma- The Chosen Aug 01, 2025

Show notes

Shaan Sharma is a working actor, SAG-AFTRA union leader, acting educator, writer, and former top casting session director. Shaan is on the international hit TV show "The Chosen" playing Shmuel (thechosen.tv), Founder of The Storytellers Conservatory, an on-camera acting studio, Guest Lecturer for the University of Southern California, and an Adjunct Professor for PACE University's School of Drama, a proud founding-member of Solidarity, a grassroots SAG-AFTRA education group (solidarity.us), and spent more than a decade working as a casting session director with over 45 of the top commercial casting directors in Los Angeles. Shaan is also a Backstage Expert Contributing writer with over 50 published advice articles for performers and the author of the book and audio book, "Commercial Acting in LA: A Session Director's Guide."

https://www.790kspd.com/here-we-have-idaho/

Mayor Brad Pike | Eagle, ID Jul 30, 2025

Show notes

Mayor Brad Pike

Brad Pike is the Mayor of Eagle Idaho, elected in 2023. Before being elected Mayor of the City of Eagle, Brad served on the Eagle City Council as Council President. He also served as a Liaison to the Eagle Urban Renewal District, Eagle Sewer District, and the Eagle Senior Center. He is currently serving in his second term as fire commissioner for the Eagle Fire District.

Brad came to Eagle after retiring at the rank of Captain from his career in the fire service with the Santa Clara County Fire in California. While in California, he served as a city council member, Vice Mayor, and Mayor for the City of Hollister, California. He also served as a chairman for the Council of San Benito County Governments, which is responsible for local transportation needs.

Prior to his fire career, he had the opportunity to coach the national baseball team for Guatemala and teach Junior High School for a small Christian school in Hemet, California.

Brad earned Bachelor of Arts degree from Point Loma Nazarene University while playing one of his favorite sports, baseball.

Brad and his wife, Tami, have been married for over 30 years and have two grown boys. They moved to Eagle in 2011.

https://www.790kspd.com/here-we-have-idaho/

Idaho Secretary of State – Phil McGrane Jul 25, 2025

Show notes

https://www.790kspd.com/here-we-have-idaho/

Lonni Leavitt-Barker- Camp Rainbow Gold Jul 23, 2025

Show notes

From Camp Rainbow Gold's website:

Lonni joined the Camp Rainbow Gold staff in March 2019. Lonni and her family have been campers, she has served as a volunteer, a fundraiser, an emcee, and most recently, a board member. Working as an employee for CRG was the last frontier! Lonni will head up our efforts to finance and secure a forever home. She comes to us from Scentsy, Inc. where she oversaw Public Relations, Media and Charitable Giving.
Lonni grew up in Las Vegas and had a totally normal childhood. Her next door neighbor was a hit man for the mafia and her senior prom was at Caesars Palace. She graduated from Brigham Young University with a degree in Broadcast Journalism. She likes to refer to her career in television as her “previous life”. Lonni was an Emmy award-winning investigative news reporter whose career took her from Las Vegas to Raleigh/Durham, Phoenix to Los Angeles. After fifteen years of chasing down multiple offenders, corrupt politicians, mobsters and criminals who faked their deaths in foreign countries to fraudulently collect on insurance policies—Lonni gave up LA’s fast lane to move to Eagle, where she likes to tell people she has been “reincarnated as a mother”.
Lonni and her husband, Byron are the parents of four children. Their youngest battled cancer for more than three years. They like to say Camp Rainbow Gold was the best “perk” to come out of such a brutal experience. The family has attended Family Camps and their three oldest are frequent flyers at Sibling Camp (and truly equate it with Christmas). Lonni is also the founder of Baldapalooza, a family-friendly music festival for Idaho children battling cancer which supported CRG for two of its three years.
Two truths and a lie from Lonni:
I have already attended my own funeral and burial.
I was the only person at a nudist colony with my clothes on.
I used to help produce World Title Boxing matches in Las Vegas.

https://www.790kspd.com/here-we-have-idaho/

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